Policing must change in Ireland — our children deserve better

No parent in Ireland should have to carry the fear that their child can simply go out to work and end up in a cell, albeit temporarily

People of African descent and Brazilians experience widespread 'discriminatory policing and racial profiling, a study by the Irish Network Against Racism found. Commissioned by the Policing Authority, it also says there is a 'deep lack of trust' in gardaí among these communities as a result.

The recently published Policing Authority report, Experiences of Policing amongst Brazilians and People of African Descent in Ireland, confirms what many in our communities already know. It gives public voice to private pain, describing mistrust of gardaí, negative interactions, racial profiling, and lack of cultural sensitivity. 

As Ireland’s Special Rapporteur on Racial Equity and Racism, and as a black woman, a mother, and an activist who hears these stories frequently, I welcome this report. But welcoming it is not enough — we must act.